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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, (August 22, 2018) – In keeping with its good governance agenda, the Team Unity-led Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has taken a deliberate decision to operationalize the Integrity in Public Life Commission.

The Integrity in Public Life Act, No. 18 of 2013 is intended to make provisions for a Code of Conduct and declarations of interest for public officials; for the offences of abuse of office, misconduct and neglect of duty. In this connection, the Act also provides for the establishment of the Integrity in Public Life Commission, its powers and functions, and to provide for related or incidental matters.

Following the operationalization of the IPL Act on Wednesday, July 11, 2018, Attorney General, the Honourable Vincent Byron conducted a forum at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort with public sector officials to give them an appreciation of the importance of the legislation and its impact on their functioning within the offices that they hold.

The Government had earlier informed His Excellency the Governor General, Sir S.W. Tapley Seaton of its nominee to the Commission and has been awaiting the nomination of the other members of the Commission.

With the Government having named its member, the legislation then required the Leader of the Opposition to name one member with the Governor General holding the responsibility of appointing the Commission’s chair.

The Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister is advised that the Leader of the Opposition had been tardy in naming his nominee for the Commission. Our investigations further revealed that it was not until last week that the Opposition Leader attended to this matter and at long last submitted his nomination.

Prime Minister, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris said, “The Team Unity administration looks forward to the inauguration of the Integrity in Public Life Commission and subsequent work this important body will conduct.”

“This Team Unity Government has advanced an agenda of good governance that has never before been advanced in the country. The operationalization of the IPL is just one example of this and information which seeks to suggest that the government has been nonresponsive to this matter is malicious and without foundation,” Prime Minister Harris added.